Setting Holiday Goals

For some reason, the Holidays are a double edged sword. While it is always a great opportunity to gather with friends and family (many of whom you may not have seen since last Holidays), this time of year always brings a bunch of anxiety and stress as well. There are many different ways to deal with this phenomenon that range from ignoring it, to confronting the problem directly. Perhaps the best way to deal with the potential problems of the Holidays is by setting some goals. Setting Holiday goals will allow you to prepare for what could come. Here are some guidelines that you can use to help set some real, and achievable, Holiday goals.

• Where are they going to be? When you first begin setting your holiday goals, you need to decide on where they will be at. Are these Holidays going to be spent at your home, or the home of another person? The answer to this question will help you decide what your final goals are going to be. After all, you will have a little bit more control over what happens in your home than what happens in the home of another.
• Decide what you want. Do you want to have a large, extravagant holiday season, or would you rather have one that is more quiet and subdued? How do you want everything to look? Fancy and upscale, or cozy and down home? Once you have decided on what you want, you can begin deciding on what could actually an attainable goal is, and what is only a dream.
• Be flexible. Be flexible in your planning, and in your expectations. Do not believe that you have to do everything yourself. Get as much help as you possibly can, and assign others tasks that will help you make the Holidays go a little more smoothly as well as having them feel like they are helping out. In addition to this be prepared for some troubles and tribulations to come your way. One of the biggest causes for Holiday stress and anxiety is expecting to go "perfectly" with absolutely no problems whatsoever.
• Don't forget personal time. While you are making your plans, and your goals, make sure that you set aside time for yourself as well. By setting aside some "me" time you will be able to decompress, and allow yourself to handle the problems that can (and will) come with the Holidays.